Draft-gear.



J. R. GARDWELL.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION TILED AUG. 21, 1909.

Patented Aug. 5, 1913.

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%Z7IZ64W@%- KfM am JAMES B. CARDWELL. Q1 CHICAGO,

COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, IILINOIS,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION DRAFT GEAR A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DRAFT-GEAR.

Specification f Letters Batent.

Patented Aug. 5,1913.

Application. 11104 August 21, 180i. Serial No. 513,962.

To all'w/mm it may concern.

Be it known that I, Jam-1s R. Camiwnm, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in DraftGear, of which thefollowing is a specification, and which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to friction draft gear employed in railway service,and has for one of its objects the provision of means whereby frictionalelements are brought into action snccessively, the lighter stressesincident to either bufling or pulling being resisted by springs,supplemented by a mini mum amount of friction-additional frictionalelements being available to augment the cushioning action when thestresses are more severe.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means forretaining in place certain laterally movable frictional elements.

One embodiment of my invention is hereinafter described, and isillustrated in the accompanying drawing, which shows a detail plan ofthe center sills and an end sill of a car, and of the improved draftrigging, some of the parts being broken away and some of the parts beingshown in section.

A pair of center sills is shown at a, a, and a portion of an end sill ofa car is represented at b.

The coupler is shown at 0, and the usual yoke secured to the butt of thecoupler bar and inclosing the shock-resisting elements is designated a.The forward draft lugs are shown at c, c, and the rearward draft lugs at05, (Z. The forward follower g cooperates with the lugs a, c, and arearward follower h with the lugs followers is shown as of the box type,being provided with inwardly projecting top and bottom and side flangeswhich form chambers 9 723, within which the friction elements arehoused.

A bolt 0" projects horizontally through the sills a, a, and yoke,elongated slots 3 y, being formed in the sills for its accommodation.Helical springs s, s, are mounted one upon each end of the bolt 0"outside of the sills, and react between outer abutments a, u, adjustablyfixed upon the ends of the bolt and abutments t, t, sleeved upon the d,d. Each of these frictional resistance between the bolt, their stemsprojecting inwardly through the apertures in the sills.

A pair of blocksQfg, is sleeved upon the bolt 1*, the outer faces ofthese blocks bearing, respectively, against the inner ends of the stemsof the abutments t, t, and their inner faces being beveled or inclinedoutwardly toward each end. A second pair of blocks g 9 is sleeved uponthe bolt 1" between the blocks g, g, the inner faces of these blocksbeing preferably in contact or in close proximity when the gear is inits normal position, these inner faces being preferably flat andperpendicular to the axis of the bolt except adjacent their ends, whichare beveled outwardly. The inner portions of the outer faces of theblocks g 9 are preferably recessed to receive the inner faces of theblocks 9, g, and at their ends are beveled inwardly, thereby normallyproviding V-shaped' recesses with the outer ends of the inclined facesof the blocks g.

The followers 9, h, are provided, respectively, with instanding ribs 9 hon their vertical median lines, these ribs being V- shaped incross-section and entering between the blocks g g Wedge-blocks g, g, andh, h, each having preferably the form of an equilateral triangle in plansection, are located, respectively, adjacent the inner faces of thefollowers g, it, one upon each of said instanding ribs thereof 9 b andenter the V-shaped openings between the end portions of the blocks q, f,the sizes of the blocks g, h, and of the recesses be tween the blocks g,9 being such that lost motion is provided; that is to say, the blocks g,h, when in contact with the inner faces of the followers, with whichthey have lateral sliding engagement, are out of contact with the blocksq, g when the gear is in its normal position;

Under the influence of either bufiing or pulling stresses there is arelative approach of the followers, which cause the advance of the ribs9 h between the blocks g g forcing the latter apart against theresistance of the springs s, 8, thus developing ribs 9 h, and the blocksg 9 the bolt '1', and the parts sleeved upon it, being moved laterally.

As the followers continue to approach, the wedge-blocks g, h, come intoengagement with the inclined faces of the blocks 9 and and slide thereuon, develo in friction .9 p P g the faces of the blocks 9, g, h, It,with other elements of the gear.

While the blocks 9, h, are loose when the gear is in its normalposition, they are, nevertheless, prevented from displacement by thecontiguity of the various elements of the gear with which they cooperatewhen brought into action. All of the parts are restored to their normalpositions upon the relief of the stresses of service by the action ofthe springs s, s. WVhile the ribs 71. are shown as and are preferablyintegral parts of the followers, this is not essential to the action ofthe device.

The invention is shown in connection with a draft gear of the typedisclosed in my Patent No. 819,266, dated May 1st, 1906,but I do notlimit myself to this form of draft gear, the invention in its broaderaspects being applicable to other types.

I claim as my invention 1. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair ofopposed followers, normally engaged friction elements cooperating withthe followers and supplemental elements frictionally, cooperating withthe first named friction elements after the initial advance of eitherfollower and being normally out of frictional engagement with the firstnamed friction elements.

2. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed followers, a pairof spring-advanced laterally movable friction blocks, wedging frictionelements associated with the followers and entering between and normallyengaged with the blocks, additional "friction elements associated withthe followers and engageable but normally out of engagement. with theblocks and means for resisting the outward lateral movement of theadditional frictional elements.

3. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed followers, a pairof laterally movable juxtaposed blocks located between the followers andhaving their inner and outer faces beveled at their ends, springs urgingthe blocks together, a wedge projecting inwardly from each follower andengaging the inner faces of the blocks, laterally movable wedge-blocksengageable with the inner face of each follower and located on oppositesides of the first-named wedges and coming into engagement with theouter faces of the juxtaposed blocks as the followers advance towardeach other and means for resisting the outward movement of the laterallymovable wedge-blocks.

4:. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed followers, a pairof laterally movable juxtaposed blocks located between the followers andhaving their inner and outer faces beveled at their ends, a second pairof blocks bearing against the outer faces of the first-named blocks andhaving the ends of their inner faces beveled, springs urging the blockstogether, a wedge projecting inwardly from each follower and engagingthe inner faces of the first-named blocks, and laterally movablewedge-blocks engageable with the inner face of each follower and locatedon opposite sides of the firstnamed wedges and coming into engagementwith the outer faces of the juxtaposed blocks and with the inner facesof the second-named blocks asthe followers advance toward each other.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 20th day ofAugust, A. D. 1909.

JAMES R. CARDWELL.

Witnesses:

G. L. CRAGG, G. E. FOLK.

